Lauren from Charlottesville, VA

Reviewer is A current student here.

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Comments

Bang for the buck

Penn State World Campus is expensive, as is most higher education these days. When you factor in the costs of tuition AND books, it's higher than I'd like to be paying, especially for an online program, but I feel the school's academic rigor and well-respected standing are mostly worth the extra $$.

Food and Dining

Again, I did not live on campus as this is a distance-learning program.

Dorm Life

Since this is a distance-learning program, I did not live on-campus (I live two states away, in fact!)

Academic Rigor

Coursework is challenging. Don't apply to this school if you're hoping to just coast through an easy-peasy online program. Lots of writing is required, as is the synthesis of a large volume of reading material. For many classes, it's not enough to just answer multiple choice questions after memorizing terms--professors want you to explain how a concept works or relate it to something to prove that you understand not only the term, but the context of the term.

Tips for prospective students

Stay on top of your assignments! With online classes, it's easy to fall behind or lose track of coursework, so it's important to stay organized and maintain focus. Additionally, if you're working while in school, it's important to find a good balance of study time and work time, and it helps to build in some time off around midterms and finals to get in some extra study time.

In three sentences

A challenging, dynamic distance learning degree program with engaged teachers and supportive counselors who work tirelessly to help you meet your educational goals. Easy online course management system that is user-friendly and makes excellent use of up-and-coming educational technology (i.e. Yammer, Blackboard Collaborate, etc). Solid course offerings to create a well-rounded degree program, and is currently ranked 3rd-best online program by U.S. News & World Report.